Carole Howald

{{Short description|Swiss curler (born 1993)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}

{{Infobox curler

| name = Carole Howald

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|03|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Langenthal, Switzerland

| Curling club = CC Flims, Flims

| Skip = Silvana Tirinzoni

| Fourth = Alina Pätz

| Second = Carole Howald

| Lead = Selina Witschonke

| Alternate = Stefanie Berset

| Mixed doubles partner = Pablo Lachat

| Member Association = {{SUI}}

| World Championship appearances = 9 ({{WWCC|2014}}, {{WWCC|2015}}, {{WWCC|2016}}, {{WWCC|2018}}, {{WWCC|2021}}, {{WWCC|2022}}, {{WWCC|2023}}, {{WWCC|2024}}, {{WWCC|2025}})

| World Mixed Doubles Championship appearances = 1 ({{WMDCC|2015}})

| European Championship appearances = 6 ({{EuCC|2014}}, {{EuCC|2016}}, {{EuCC|2021}}, {{EuCC|2022}}, {{EuCC|2023}}, {{EuCC|2024}})

| Olympic appearances = 1 (2022)

| Grand Slam victories = 3 (2022 National, 2024 Players', 2025 Players')

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport | Women's Curling }}

{{MedalCountry | {{SUI}} }}

{{MedalCompetition | World Championships }}

{{MedalGold | {{WWCC|2014|2014 Saint John}} | }}

{{MedalGold | {{WWCC|2015|2015 Sapporo}} | }}

{{MedalGold | {{WWCC|2016|2016 Swift Current}} | }}

{{MedalGold | {{WWCC|2021|2021 Calgary}} | }}

{{MedalGold | {{WWCC|2022|2022 Prince George}} | }}

{{MedalGold | {{WWCC|2023|2023 Sandviken}} | }}

{{Medal|Silver|{{WWCC|2024|2024 Sydney}} | }}

{{Medal|Silver|{{WWCC|2025|2025 Uijeongbu}} | }}

{{MedalCompetition | European Championships }}

{{MedalGold | 2014 Champéry | }}

{{MedalGold | 2023 Aberdeen | }}

{{MedalGold | 2024 Lohja | }}

{{MedalSilver | 2022 Östersund | }}

}}

Carole Howald (born 29 March 1993 in Langenthal) is a Swiss curler from Langenthal. She is a six-time women's world champion, winning five titles as alternate and one as second in {{WWCC|2023}}. She currently plays second on Team Silvana Tirinzoni.

Career

Howald joined the Binia Feltscher rink at lead in 2017. She previously played with Melanie Barbezat and with this rink won the 2014 Dumfries Curling Challenge.{{Cite web |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?eventid=3540&eventtypeid=82&view=Main#1 |title=2014 Dumfries Curling Challenge |website=CurlingZone |access-date=23 August 2020}} They played in three Grand Slams in her first season with the team, qualifying in one of them, the 2017 Boost National. She got to play in her first official World Championship at the 2018 World Women's Curling Championship after being the alternate at her previous three appearances. The team struggled that week, failing to reach the playoffs after posting a 5–7 record.{{Cite web |url=http://results.worldcurling.org/Championship/Details/584 |title=2018 World Women's Curling Championship |website=World Curling Federation |access-date=18 September 2019}} At the conclusion of the 2017–18 season, Irene Schori left the team and Howald was promoted to third. The team almost made it to the World Championships that season, but were bested by Silvana Tirinzoni 8–7 in the final.{{Cite web |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/game.php?1=1&showgameid=249674#1 |title=2019 Swiss Curling Championship |website=Curlingzone |access-date=18 September 2019}}

Team Feltscher had a slow start to the 2019–20 season, failing to make the playoffs in their first four events. Howald got to throw fourth rocks for the team at the 2019 AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic with Michèle Jäggi stepping in to skip the team. They finished with a 1-3 record.{{Cite web |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?view=Team&eventid=5851&teamid=134656&profileid= |title=2019 AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic |website=CurlingZone |access-date=18 September 2019}} They played in just one slam event, the 2019 Tour Challenge Tier 2 and lost in the quarterfinals. The Feltscher rink finished third at both the 2019 Changan Ford International Curling Elite and the Schweizer Cup.{{Cite web |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?eventid=6269&eventtypeid=82&view=Main#1 |title=2019 Changan Ford International Curling Elite |website=CurlingZone |access-date=23 August 2020}} They picked it up in the second half of the season, however, qualifying in every event. They placed third at the 2020 Swiss Women's Curling Championship.{{Cite web |url=http://www.curling-results.ch/resultat/scl/2019-20/frauen/sm/m.html#Team2 |title=2020 Swiss Women's Curling Championship |website=Swiss Curling Association |access-date=23 August 2020 |archive-date=11 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911172635/http://www.curling-results.ch/resultat/scl/2019-20/frauen/sm/m.html#Team2 |url-status=dead}} Binia Feltscher retired from competitive curling at the end of the season and the team disbanded.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rts.ch/sport/curling/11137938-curling-la-double-championne-du-monde-binia-feltscher-se-retire.html |title=Curling: la double championne du monde Binia Feltscher se retire |date=3 March 2020 |publisher=RTS |access-date=23 August 2020 |language=French}}

Howald and second Stefanie Berset joined the Irene Schori rink for the 2020–21 season.{{Cite web |url=https://teamlangenthal.ch/ |title=Team Schori Website |website=Team Langenthal |access-date=23 August 2020}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.facebook.com/teamschori/photos/a.982144305308029/1276423575880099/?type=3&theater |title=Team Schori Announcement |website=Facebook |access-date=23 August 2020}} The team competed in two tour events during the abbreviated season, finishing third at the 2020 Schweizer Cup{{Cite news |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/post.php?postid=2673#1 |title=Elena Stern repeats as Schweizer Cup champions |website=CurlingZone |access-date=23 August 2021}} and reaching the quarterfinals of the 2020 Women's Masters Basel.{{Cite web |url=http://www.curling-is-fun.ch/a.html |title=Women's Masters 2020 |website=Rinkmaster |access-date=23 August 2021}} Team Schori was one of four teams to compete in the 2021 Swiss Women's Curling Championship, where they finished in last place with a 2–7 record after the triple round robin.{{Cite web |url=http://www.curling-results.ch/resultat/scl/2020-21/frauen/sm/ |title=2021 Swiss Women's Curling Championship – Results |website=Swiss Curling Association |access-date=23 August 2021 |archive-date=25 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225215209/https://www.curling-results.ch/resultat/scl/2020-21/frauen/sm/ |url-status=dead}}

To begin the 2021–22 season, Team Schori was invited to compete alongside the men's teams at the 2021 Baden Masters. There, they finished with a 1–3 record, only beating Magnus Nedregotten of Norway.{{Cite web |url=https://worldcurlingtour.org/women/event/554 |title=21. Baden Masters |website=World Curling Tour |access-date=23 August 2021}} Elsewhere on tour, they won the Part II Bistro Ladies Classic over Cathy Auld and made it to two other event finals.{{Cite web |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?view=Team&eventid=6604&teamid=154438# |title=Part II Bistro Ladies Classic |website=CurlingZone |access-date=5 September 2022}} They lost to Eve Muirhead in the final of The Challenger{{YouTube|PtJPFI59cHA|Video (full game): 2021 The Challenger - Final - Irene Schori (Switzerland) vs Eve Muirhead (Great Britain)}} and to Nora Wüest in the St. Galler Elite Challenge final. They also had playoff appearances at the 2021 Women's Masters Basel, Stu Sells Toronto Tankard and the DeKalb Superspiel. Team Schori competed in one Grand Slam event, the 2021 National, where they finished with a winless 0–3 record.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/undefeated-fleury-tirinzoni-qualify-for-boost-national-playoffs/ |title=Undefeated Fleury, Tirinzoni qualify for Boost National playoffs |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |date=5 November 2021 |access-date=5 September 2022}} The team finished their season with a 2–3 record at the 2022 Swiss Women's Curling Championship, not advancing to the second round. Howald left the Schori rink at the end of the season. On 12 May it was announced that Howald would be joining the new Silvana Tirinzoni rink at second for the 2022–23 season.{{Cite news |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CdcuatvDxX7/ |title=Das TEAM ist komplett! See you on tour |language=German |publisher=teamtirinzoni |website=Instagram |date=12 May 2022 |access-date=5 September 2022}} The team also included fourth Alina Pätz and lead Briar Schwaller-Hürlimann.

The new Tirinzoni rink found immediate success on tour, going undefeated in their first event to win the Summer Series.{{Cite news |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/post.php?postid=6161#1 |title=Tirinzoni wins Summer Series |publisher=CurlingZone |date=30 August 2022 |access-date=20 July 2023}} The following week, they lost to Team Clancy Grandy in the final of the 2022 Martensville International.{{Cite web |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?view=Main&eventid=7395#1 |title=2022 Martensville International |website=CurlingZone |access-date=20 July 2023}} The team next competed in the 2022 Women's Masters Basel where they lost in the semifinal to Raphaela Keiser.{{Cite web |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?view=Main&eventid=7468#1 |title=2022 Women's Masters Basel |website=CurlingZone |access-date=20 July 2023}} They bounced back immediately the following week at the 2022 Stu Sells Toronto Tankard, again going undefeated to claim their second event title of the season.{{Cite news |url=https://www.tsn.ca/wins-from-silvana-tirinzoni-niklas-edin-highlight-busy-weekend-in-curling-1.1857043 |title=Wins from Tirinzoni and Edin highlight busy weekend in curling |publisher=TSN |date=3 October 2022 |access-date=20 July 2023}} Team Tirinzoni continued their strong play into the first Slam event of the season, the 2022 National. After an undefeated round robin record, the team beat Jennifer Jones 7–3 in the quarterfinals, Kaitlyn Lawes 7–5 in the semifinals, and Kerri Einarson 7–3 in the championship game to win their third tour event and Howald's first Grand Slam title.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/tirinzoni-tops-einarson-to-claim-boost-national-womens-championship/ |title=Tirinzoni tops Einarson to claim Boost National women's championship |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |author=Jonathan Brazeau |date=9 October 2022 |access-date=20 July 2023}} The team was back on the ice the following week at the 2022 Western Showdown where after dropping their first game, they won seven straight to claim another title.{{Cite news |url=https://www.swiftcurrentonline.com/articles/team-tirinzoni-captures-womens-western-showdown |title=Team Tirinzoni captures women's Western Showdown |publisher=Swift Current Online |author=Colin Powers |date=17 October 2022 |access-date=20 July 2023}} Team Tirinzoni's event streak came to an end at the 2022 Tour Challenge where after a 4–0 round robin record, they lost 9–2 in the quarterfinals to Isabella Wranå.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/wrana-upsets-top-seed-tirinzoni-in-hearinglife-tour-challenge-quarterfinals/ |title=Wrana upsets top-seed Tirinzoni in HearingLife Tour Challenge quarterfinals |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |author=Jonathan Brazeau |date=22 October 2022 |access-date=20 July 2023}} Next for the team was the 2022 European Curling Championships where they finished third in the round robin with a 6–3 record. They then beat Italy's Stefania Constantini in the semifinal before dropping the championship game 8–4 to Denmark's Madeleine Dupont.{{Cite news |url=https://worldcurling.org/2022/11/ecc2022-women-gold/ |title=Denmark win Le Gruyère AOP European Curling Championships 2022 women's title |publisher=World Curling Federation |date=26 November 2022 |access-date=20 July 2023}} After much success in the first half of the season, the team missed the playoffs at their next two events, the 2022 Masters and the 2023 Canadian Open. They rebounded, however, at the 2023 International Bernese Ladies Cup, going a perfect 8–0 to win the event.{{Cite web |url=https://www.curlingbern.ch/54-Internationaler-Berner-Damen-Cup-2023 |title=54. Internationaler Berner Damen Cup 2023 |website=Curling Bern |access-date=20 July 2023 |archive-date=5 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205074420/https://www.curlingbern.ch/54-Internationaler-Berner-Damen-Cup-2023 |url-status=dead}} At the 2023 Swiss Women's Curling Championship, the team won 6–4 over Corrie Hürlimann in the championship game.{{Cite web |url=https://curlingzone.com/event.php?eventid=7766&eventtypeid=82&view=Main#1 |title=2023 Swiss Curling Championships |website=CurlingZone |access-date=20 July 2023}} This qualified Team Tirinzoni for the 2023 World Women's Curling Championship where they continued their winning streak, going 12–0 through the round robin.{{Cite news |url=https://worldcurling.org/2023/03/play-off-field-set-wwcc/ |title=Play-off field complete at LGT World Women's Championship |publisher=World Curling Federation |date=24 March 2023 |access-date=20 July 2023}} They then topped Sweden's Anna Hasselborg 8–4 to qualify for the final against Norway's Marianne Rørvik. Despite not having their best game, the Swiss team stole two in the tenth end to win the game 6–3 and secure the World Championship title.{{Cite news |url=https://worldcurling.org/2023/03/gold-wwcc2023/ |title=Switzerland win LGT World Women's Curling Championship 2023 |publisher=World Curling Federation |date=26 March 2023 |access-date=20 July 2023}} Team Tirinzoni ended their season at the final two Slams of the season, the 2023 Players' Championship and the 2023 Champions Cup. At the Players', the team lost two straight before going on a six-game winning streak to qualify for the final.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/koe-claims-spot-in-princess-auto-players-championship-final-with-buzzer-beater-shot/ |title=Koe claims spot in Princess Auto Players' Championship final with clutch shot |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |author=Jonathan Brazeau |date=15 April 2023 |access-date=20 July 2023}} There, they lost 6–5 to Isabella Wranå.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/wrana-wins-players-championship-for-first-grand-slam-womens-title/ |title=Wrana wins Players' Championship for first Grand Slam women's title |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |author=Jonathan Brazeau |date=16 April 2023 |access-date=20 July 2023}} Prior to the Champions Cup, the team's last event of the season, they announced they had removed Briar Schwaller-Hürlimann from the team for "team harmony" reasons. The team made the decision while Schwaller-Hürlimann was playing in the 2023 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, but did not tell her until she travelled to Canada to play in the Champions Cup.{{Cite news |url=https://www.blick.ch/sport/wintersport/curling/spielerin-rauswurf-kurz-vor-turnierstart-eklat-im-team-der-curling-weltmeisterinnen-id18547302.html |title=Eklat im Team der Curling-Weltmeisterinnen |language=German |publisher=Blick |author=Matthias Dubach |date=4 May 2023 |access-date=20 July 2023}} Schwaller-Hürlimann was replaced by Rachel Erickson at the tournament, where they missed the playoffs with a 1–4 record. Days later, it was announced that Selina Witschonke was replacing Schwaller-Hürlimann on the team at second with Howald shifting to lead.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rts.ch/sport/curling/14002855-curling-selina-witschonke-rejoint-les-championnes-du-monde.html |title=Curling: Selina Witschonke rejoint les championnes du monde |language=French |publisher=RTS |date=5 May 2023 |access-date=20 July 2023}}

To begin the 2023–24 season, Team Tirinzoni won 14 straight games in their first two events to claim the 2023 Women's Masters Basel and the 2023 AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic, going an undefeated 7–0 at both.{{Cite web |url=https://worldcurlingtour.org/women/event/851 |title=2023 Women's Masters Basel |website=World Curling Tour |access-date=21 April 2024}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.standard-freeholder.com/sports/local-sports/tirinzoni-and-edin-rinks-win-2023-shorty-jenkins-classic-in-cornwall |title=Tirinzoni and Whyte rinks win 2023 Shorty Jenkins Classic in Cornwall |publisher=Standard-Freeholder |author=Greg Peerenboom |date=25 September 2023 |access-date=21 April 2024}} They then reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 Players Open where they lost to Kim Eun-jung. At the first Slam of the season, the 2023 Tour Challenge, the team had an undefeated record through the round robin before losing 7–4 in the quarterfinals to Jennifer Jones.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/lawes-eliminates-top-seed-gim-in-hearinglife-tour-challenge-womens-quarterfinals/ |title=Lawes eliminates top-seed Gim in HearingLife Tour Challenge women's quarterfinals |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |author=Jonathan Brazeau |date=21 October 2023 |access-date=21 April 2024}} They bounced back immediately with another undefeated run to win the Stu Sells 1824 Halifax Classic, their third title of the season.{{Cite news |url=https://www.tsn.ca/curling/world-no-1-silvana-tirinzoni-keeps-rolling-with-win-in-halifax-1.2031609 |title=World No. 1 Tirinzoni keeps rolling with win in Halifax |publisher=TSN |date=5 November 2023 |access-date=21 April 2024}} At the 2023 National, the team had another playoff appearance but lost in the semifinals to Korea's Gim Eun-ji.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/edin-retornaz-to-meet-in-kioti-national-mens-final/ |title=Edin, Retornaz to meet in KIOTI National men's final |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |author=Jonathan Brazeau |date=11 November 2023 |access-date=21 April 2024}} In November 2023, Team Tirinzoni won the gold medal at the 2023 European Curling Championships for the first time, finishing a perfect 11–0 through the event.{{Cite news |url=https://worldcurling.org/2023/11/w-gold-ecc2023/ |title=Switzerland women crowned European champions |publisher=World Curling Federation |date=25 November 2023 |access-date=21 April 2024}} In the final, they defeated Italy's Stefania Constantini 6–5 after a perfect hit-and-roll to the button on Pätz' final shot. They then lost in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Western Showdown to Isabella Wranå. At the next two Slams, the 2023 Masters and the 2024 Canadian Open, the team made two straight finals where they lost to Rachel Homan on both occasions.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/homan-wins-record-extending-14th-grand-slam-womens-title-at-wfg-masters/ |title=Homan wins record-extending 14th Grand Slam women's title at WFG Masters |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |author=Jonathan Brazeau |date=17 December 2023 |access-date=21 April 2024}} In the latter, they lost on an extra end steal after Pätz' draw went too far.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/homan-steals-in-extra-end-to-win-canadian-open-womens-title/ |title=Homan steals in extra end to win Canadian Open women's title |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |author=Jonathan Brazeau |date=21 January 2024 |access-date=21 April 2024}} They followed this with a quarterfinal finish at the 2024 International Bernese Ladies Cup, dropping a 4–3 decision to the Xenia Schwaller junior rink. Despite already being selected for the 2024 World Women's Curling Championship, Team Tirinzoni won the Swiss Women's Championship in February by defeating Team Schwaller in the final.{{Cite news |url=https://www.curling.ch/newsroom/artikel/team-tirinzoni-und-team-schwaller-fuer-weltmeisterschaft-selektioniert/ |title=Team Tirinzoni and Team Schwaller selected for World Championship |language=German |publisher=Swiss Curling |date=21 December 2023 |access-date=21 April 2024}} At the World Championship, the team finished the round robin in second place overall with a 10–2 record after losses to Canada's Homan and Scotland's Rebecca Morrison.{{Cite news |url=https://www.tsn.ca/curling/canada-s-team-homan-snap-team-tirinzoni-s-42-game-win-streak-at-women-s-worlds-to-stay-undefeated-1.2092231 |title=Canada's Team Homan snap Team Tirinzoni's 42-game win streak at women's worlds to stay undefeated |publisher=TSN |date=19 March 2024 |access-date=21 April 2024}} After beating Italy's Constantini in the semifinal, they faced off against Team Homan again in the final. After controlling most of the first half of the game, the Swiss rink led 5–4 in the ninth end. On her last rock, Homan made a split of a rock in the 12-foot to score three, giving the Canadians a 7–5 lead. Team Tirinzoni then conceded the game in the tenth after deciding they didn't have a shot to tie the game, ending their reign as world champions.{{Cite news |url=https://www.tsn.ca/curling/canada-s-rachel-homan-captures-gold-at-women-s-world-championship-with-win-over-switzerland-1.2094685 |title=Canada's Homan captures gold at women's world championship with win over Switzerland |publisher=TSN |date=24 March 2024 |access-date=21 April 2024}} They ended the season on a positive note, however, as at the 2024 Players' Championship they beat the Homan rink in the semifinals before defeating Team Wranå 6–5 in the final with Howald claiming her second career Slam title.{{Cite news |url=https://thegrandslamofcurling.com/tirinzoni-tops-wrana-to-take-players-championship-womens-title/ |title=Tirinzoni tops Wrana to take Princess Auto Players' Championship women's title |publisher=Grand Slam of Curling |author=Jonathan Brazeau |date=14 April 2024 |access-date=21 April 2024}}

Personal life

Howald is a student, in the bachelors sciences in sport program.{{Cite web |url=https://www.curling.ca/files/2021/04/2021-LGT-World-Womens-Curling-Championship-media-guide1.pdf |title=2021 World Women's Curling Championship Media Guide |website=Curling Canada |access-date=30 April 2021}}

Teams

class="wikitable"
scope="col"| Season

! scope="col"| Skip

! scope="col"| Third

! scope="col"| Second

! scope="col"| Lead

! scope="col"| Alternate

scope="row"| 2013–14{{Cite web |url=https://www.curlingzone.com/player.php?playerid=28797&view=Teams#1 |title=Carole Howald Past Teams |website=CurlingZone |access-date=23 August 2020}}

| Andrea Marx || Carole Howald || Adonia Brunner || Gisèle Beuchat || Bettina Lanz

scope="row"| 2014–15

| Melanie Barbezat || Carole Howald || Jenny Perret || Daniela Rupp ||

scope="row"| 2015–16

| Melanie Barbezat || Carole Howald || Jenny Perret || Daniela Rupp ||

scope="row"| 2016–17

| Melanie Barbezat || Jenny Perret || Carole Howald || Daniela Rupp ||

scope="row"| 2017–18

| Binia Feltscher || Irene Schori || Franziska Kaufmann || Carole Howald ||

scope="row"| 2018–19

| Binia Feltscher || Carole Howald || Stefanie Berset || Larissa Hari ||

scope="row"| 2019–20

| Binia Feltscher || Carole Howald || Stefanie Berset || Larissa Hari || Michèle Jäggi

scope="row"| 2020–21

| Irene Schori || Carole Howald || Lara Stocker || Stefanie Berset ||

scope="row"| 2021–22

| Irene Schori || Carole Howald || Lara Stocker || Stefanie Berset ||

scope="row"| 2022–23

| Alina Pätz (Fourth) || Silvana Tirinzoni (Skip) || Carole Howald || Briar Schwaller-Hürlimann ||

scope="row"| 2023–24

| Alina Pätz (Fourth) || Silvana Tirinzoni (Skip) || Selina Witschonke || Carole Howald || Stefanie Berset

scope="row"| 2024–25

| Alina Pätz (Fourth) || Silvana Tirinzoni (Skip) || Carole Howald || Selina Witschonke || Stefanie Berset

References

{{Reflist}}